Buying help

[Doomy]

Hey all,

Been lurking for a while and am now dipping my toes in relationship destruction via arcade cabinet.

Just would like to now whether I should fork out for a ArcadeVGA card or stick with my ATI xt800pe with Svideo out? The monitor im using is this Trinitron Wega 29" TV which I got because getting an arcade monitor will be a hassle, Ill be hooking up 3 consoles aswell.

Im after an authenticish look on the screen, tho Im not going to be too anal about it, its basically just a cabinet to stick ALL my one on one beatemups on, other games (shooters etc) I want too but its predominately a beatemup machine.

The TV has component inputs too which is why I got the TV.

[ArtMAME]

DUDE!!! Use those component inputs!!! 

You don't need an Arcade VGA card if you are using a TV or PC monitor.  Only time you need an ArcadeVGA is if you are using an arcade monitor.

Keep your current card and get a DVI-to-component adapter and some component cables.  The games will look awesome!!! Especially the old-school games like Centipede, Defender, MsPacman, etc...

If you are not all that into the old-school games it probably won't be a big deal using S-video.
Newer style fighters and shooters will look fine with S-video, but the older games will look yucky with S-video compared to component inputs. 

I am using a 27" JVC with component inputs and my old-school games look absolutely amazing!!!

You must set the dip switches on the adapter for 480i and run the MAME games at 640x480 resolution.  You may get some overscan, but you can just go into the service menu and decrease the vertical size a tiny bit. 

This may affect the look of your console games so you may have to experiment. 

Otherwise use S-video for your MAME fighters and shooters if you are not that much into old-school games.

[Doomy]

DUUUUUDE! Thanks for your answer, it confirmed my doubts. I will be getting a component switch for ze consoles etc (recently purchased a 36" ws tv and i love them on that) and will use that for PC too. DVI--->component seems the right way to go about it.

I want the old school games less than the capcom beatemups but that doesnt mean i dont want a spinner/trackball etc at some point adorning my cabinet.

Thanks again.

[Doomy]

Hummm...

Having a few issues - been to pick it up, using the supplied S-Video to Component that came with card and im just getting a rolling snowy picture whatever i do in settings. My Drivers pick the tv up and defaults to 30hz interlaced which is right?

I can see the desktop moving when i move the mouse
. Should this be happening? Do iHave to make my vid card output in NTSC? A little confused here.

[Gaston77]

30 Hz for a tv? I know that the standard refresh rates for TV's are 60 Hz in the US and 50 Hz in Europe (at least they used to be...nowadays they pick up both NTSC and PAL). You say you have NTSC; I would go for the 60 Hz in that case. Try that and see what happens....it should stop the rolling image...